Theatre History Commons^™

Review Of Inge Nielsen, Cultic Theatres And Ritual Drama In American Journal Of Archaeology, On-Line Reviews, Vol. 111.1:, Kenneth S. Rothwell Jr.

Classics Faculty Publication Series

Nielsen has done us a great service by collecting the considerable evidence for cultic performance spaces in Egypt, Mesopotamia, Syria, Phoenicia, Asia Minor, Crete, Greece, Sicily, and Italy. A table (340–41) gives an index of the 58 bestpreserved theaters, but dozens of others are discussed as well. Although some of the theaters could also have been used for “secular” literary drama, this volume focuses on cultic use. Nielsen’s observations should be of great interest to students of theater, religion, and ancient architecture.